henderson



3 Sheets-Sheet l.

(No Model.)

N. M.'HBNDERSON. TBBATING 0R PURIPYING PARAPPINE WAX AND APPARATUSTHBREE'OR.

, .I a a mw o o d W .N6 TM.. o @XM Patented Jain; 17, 1893.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2A N. M. HENDERSGN. TRBATING 0R PURIFYINGPARAFFINB WAX lANI? APPARATUS THEREFOR.

Patented Jan. 17', 1893.

In van Z073 W5 rzaffas (No Model.) 3 Sheets-She`et 3y N. M. HENDERSON.TREATING 0R PURIPYING PARAPPINB WAX AND APPARATUS THBRBPOR.

No. 490,199. Patented Jan. 17, 1893.

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NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, OF BROXBURN, SCOTLAND.

TREATING OR PURIFYlNG PARAFFlNE-WAX AND APPARATUS THEREFOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent o. 490,1 99, dated January17, 1893.

Application filed June 1, 1892. Serial No. 435,153. (No model.) Patentedin England January 27, 1887, No. 1,291.'

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON, a subject of the Queenof Great Britain and Ireland, and a resident of Broxburn, in the countyot' Linlithgow, Scotland, have invented certain Improvements in Treatingor Purifying Parafline-NVaX and in Apparatus Therefor, (for part ofwhich I have obtained a British patent, No. 1,291, dated January 27,1887,) of which the following is a specification.

My said invention has for its object to diminish the cost of plant andlabor, in treating or purifying parattine-wax, and to simplify theapparatus and improve its action. The crude parafline-wax having beentreated in the ordinary way in a filter press, so as to separate from ita large portion of the oil mixed with it, is by my present invention atonce melted and run into the sweating apparatus, without being firstoperated on, as ordinarily practiced, in hydraulic presses for thepurpose of separating more of the oil or liquid. After the paraftine-waxhas solidified in lthe sweating apparatus, and after the water uponwhich it was run has been drawn off, the sweating heat is applied, thetemperature being raised in a gradual manner as heretofore, but the heatis kept for a longer time than heretofore at about 80 Fahrenheit., inorder that vthe larger quantity of oil in the paratline-wax, may bedrained oft, before the temperature is raised to the maximum usual forthe first sweating stage. In sweating apparatus previousl yinusetheparafiine-wax was supported in trays upon wire gauze or perforatedsheet metal covered with woven fabric or felt. The wire gauze or sheetmetal used was comparatively coarse or open, its office being simply tosupport the cloth or felt. By my present invention I dispense with thecloth or felt, which is liable to become choked with impurities, and Ihave the paraline-wan supported on wire gauze of a suitable fineness,say having about sixteen meshes to the inch, or on perforated sheetmetal of corresponding or suitable ineness.

Figures, 1, and 2, on Sheet, 1, of the drawings are a sectional plan anda sectional side elevation showing the general arrangement of theapparatus. Figs. 3, and 4, on Sheet, 2, are enlarged, views showing inplan and in sectional side elevation the construction of the sweatingpans and accessory parts, and Figs. 5, and 6 on Sheet 3, are sectionalviews also enlarged of details to be vhereinafter :referred to. v

In these drawings the same reference numerals are used to mark the sameor like parts wherever they are repeated.

The sweating apparatus is arranged in a horizontally elongated chamber,5, construct-- ed with brick or stone walls and a suitable roof and ttedfor being heated by steam or hot-water pipes, 6. According to the sizeof the establishment, the apparatus comprises one or more verticalseries ot trays, 7, each series comprising nine or other convenientnumber of trays one over the other. Fig. 2, shows the lower trays of onevertical series and portions of those of the next series, Fig. 1, beinga corresponding sectional plan. Besides the heating pipes, 6, rangedalong the sides of the chamber, 5, there are transverse heating pipes,8, under each tray, these pipes serving also to carry the trays andbeing fixed in vertical standards, 9. The outer ends of the transverseheating pipes, 8, are connected in series by short longitudinal pipes,10, the several sets receiving their supplies from standard pipes, 11,and discharging into other standard pipes, 12. The paraine-wax is in amelted state when charged into the trays, 7, being floated upon waterwhich is supplied to the trays by standard pipes, 13, iitted withstopcocks. The melted wax is fed into the topmost trays ot' eachvertical series from melting tanks (not shown) and it overflows fromeach tray to the next lower one until all of a series are charged. Thelevel of the water in the trays, 7, is at the height of diaphragms orstrainers with which the trays are provided and it prevents the meltedwax from running through the strainers. 'When the trays have beencharged the wax is allowed to congeal and then the water is run oft fromunder it; and after the withdrawal of the Water the sweating heat isapplied. As best shown in Figs. 5, and 6, which are respectivelyatransverse vertical section and a sectional side elevation the bottomsof the trays communicate by short pipes, 28, with swiveling nozzles, 14,litted to a standard, 15, and constructed with wormwheel teeth, SO, on

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their necks so that they can be turned by worms, 31, on a verticalshaft, 1G, having a handwheel, 17, (Fig. 1) at its upper end, anarrangement allowing all the swiveling nozzles, 14, of a vertical seriesof trays to be turned at once. The liquids separated from the wax aredrained off through the swiveling nozzles, 14, into cups or hoppers, 18,fitted to standard pipes, 19, which lead them into inclined pipes, 20,through which they pass to suitable receptacles. When the sweatingoperation is complete the remaining wax is melted and run ott' throughthe same nozzles, 14, and pipes, 19, 20, into other receptacles.

The construction of the trays, 7, with their diaphragms or strainerswill be best understood from Figs. 3, and 4, Sheet 2. Instead ofcomparatively short narrow trays arranged transversely as heretofore Inow arrange them longitudinally making their width about the same as theformer length, and their length considerably greater, th us very muchsimplifying the construction, diminishing the number of fittings,lesseningthe cost and reducing the labor required. Each tray is made ofsheet iron or steel, the upper parts, with which the Wax is chiefly incontact being lined with wood, 2l. The diaphragms consist each of aframe made of tubes, 22, preferably brass, united at the corners byright-angle pieces fixed into the tube ends. On each frame, 22, arefixed longitudinally and transversely strong wires, 23, about two inchesapart, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 3, the Wires being fixedby bending around the tubes, 22, and bra-zing or soldering. Upon thewires, 23, wire gauze, 24, is laid as shown at the lefthand side of Fig.3, being fixed bylacing with Wire around the tubes, 22. The diaphragmsare supported by longitudinal bars, 25, which have studs, 26, fixed inthem to rest on t-he bottom of the tray and which are kept in positionand additionally supported by transverse tie bars, 27, the ends of whichare turned down to rest on the bottom ot the tray. The trays, 7, aremade with their bottoms slightly inclined down to one side, theldischarge pipes, 28, being fitted at one end of the lower side. At aboutthe middles of these sides ot the trays, 7.', at which the bottoms arelower, overflow ducts, 29, are constructed for the meltedy wax to passon from each tray, as it becomes filled, to the next lower tray.

IVhat I claim as my invention is- 1. In an apparatus for treating orpurifying parafne-Wax, the combination of a chamber having longitudinaland transverse heating pipes-metal trays carried by the transversepipes, strainers consisting of frames carrying longitudinal andtransverse wires and tine wire gauze on the wires supported at a smallheight above the bottom of the trays, the said trays provided withoutlets below the said strainers, and overflow duets from one tray tothe next lower one, with swiveling nozzles communicating with the saidoutlets, gearing for simultaneously turning each set of nozzles andhoppers in to which the nozzles discharge, all substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

2. In an apparatus for treating or purifying paraffine-wax,thecombination of a tray, with a strainer consisting of a fra-me formed oftubes carrying longitudinal and transverse wires and wire gauze over thewires, and supports for the strainer at a small height above the traybottom, all substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In an apparatus for treating or purifying paraiiine-wax, thecombination of a series of sweating trays, with swiveling nozzlescommunicating by pipes with the bottoms of the trays, and worm gearingfor simultaneouslyturning the set of nozzles, substantially as setforth.

4. The process of treating or purifying crude paratne-Wax from whichliquid has not been expressed by hydraulic pressure, consisting insolidifying the wax, gradually raising its temperature until aboutFahrenheit has been reached, maintaining this temperature for some timefor the purpose described, and finally raising the temperature to themaximum heat usual for the first sweating stage.

5. The process of treating parafne-wax, consisting in melting the wax,running it in layers over water, allowing it to solidify thus, thendrawing off the water, and linally sweating thisv wax.

6. In an apparatus for treating and purifying parai'line-wax, thecombination of a tray having a strainer supported at a small distancefrom the bottom thereof, and a water inlet to the space below the saidstrainer and an outlet at the bottom of the tray, with a swivelingnozzle communicating with the said outlet, all substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I havesigned` my name totliis speeiiication in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORMAN MACFARLANE HENDERSON.

Witnesses:

EDMUND HUNT, DAVID FERGUSON.

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